Hook-switch.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. i

CHARLEST. MASON, OF SUMTER, SOUTH CAROLINA, ASSIGNOR TO THE SUM- TERTELEPHONE MFG. CO., OF SUMTER, SOUTH CAROLINA, ACORPORA- TION OF SOUTHCAROLINA.

HOOK-SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 21, 1906. Serial No. 348,895.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES T. MASON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Sumter, county of Sumter, and State of South Carolina, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Hook-Switches; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art tovwhich it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to telephone switching apparatus, and moreparticularly to receiver hook-switches for making and changingelectrical connections at subscriber s substations, and has for itsobject to provide a hook-switch constructed as a unitary apparatus inwhich the contact-springs coperate with actuating-pins to produce apositive increased or intensified contact or engagement beyond that ofthe natural trend of such springs, and thereby to effect more efhcientconnections between said springs in both the signaling and talkingpositions of the switch.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l'is a side elevation of theconvenient arrangement of the switch, showing the same secured inposition. l Fig. 2 is a corresponding view showing the switch with thereceiver removed. Fig. 3`is a similar view ofthe opposite side of theswitch.

Referring to the drawings, the hook proper a fits in the liaws b of thehook-rocker t and is secured therein by a set-screw d, the loosening ofwhich allows the ready removal of the hook a from the rocker t forconvenience in assembling and packing. Integral with the rocker t is ashaft n, which has a bearing in the frame c and is secured in positionby a suitable retaining-nut m. The frame c is conveniently formed as ametal stamping provided with lateral 'flanges and is secured to thecontaining-box by screws f f extending through the escutcheon-plate e.The hook is raised by means of a spring y', which is restrained at oneend by pins or screws 7c 7c', set into the frame c, the other endhooking under a small roller e', which has a bearing on the projectingend of the set-screw d.

Mounted on the frame c are the circuitchanging springs h, h, 7L, and h",which are separated and insulated from eachother by strips of vulcaniteor similar material p, the Whole being secured to the frame bymachine-screws i '11. These circuit-changing springs include tworelatively short springs h and h", having contact-points on their innerfaces, a single relatively short spring h likewise having a contact onits inner face and a relatively long intermediate spring h. Theintermediate spring h has a normal trend toward the springs h and h",and the free ends of all of the springs extend toward and lie adjacentthe pivot of the switch-hook.

On the rocker b of the switch-hook are located three insulating-rollersg g g, mounted on projecting pins or screws o` o o, which pins coperatewith and control the engagement of the springs to establish signalingand talking connections for the respective positions of the hook. Thesepins are conveniently arranged in triangular form about the pivot of thehook, so that pin g engages spring h, pin g engages spring h, and pin gis adapted to engage the end of spring 7L when the hook is in its downposition. The relation of the several pins and the springs is such thatwhen the receiver is on the hook the end of spring h is forced upwardlyby the pin g and spring h is forced downwardly by pin g, so that Jheengagement between said springs is heavy and positive. Pin g issuiiiciently retracted to permit springs h and h to separate. Thisestablishes a signaling connection with the subscribers instrument. Whenthe receiver is removed from the hook,` the latter automatically movesupward under the tension of spring y', thereby causing pin g to moveaway from spring 7L and spring g to force spring h" into positivecontact with spring h and the latter into positive contact with springh. The normal trend of spring h toward springs h and h" adds to thepressure imposed upon the contacts and establishes an efficientconnection for talking. As the hook moves upward the pin g tends to moveaway from spring 7i, which, because of its normal trend toward said ping, moves out of contact with spring 7i', thereby breaking the signalingconnection.

It will be noted that the operation of the switch differs from switchesas heretofore constructed in that the actuating-pins in the presentconstruction cause the appropriate springs to engage With arelativelyheavy contact. Thus for making the back or ringercontact-spring h is brought up rmly against IOO IFS

spring h by the couple produced by the rotatory movement of the pins gand g as the hook moves downward. Similarly the normal trend of springh, combined with the positive movement of pin g, causes a like iirmengagement between the springs L, 7i, and LH.

While the circuit-switch as heretofore described is particularly adaptedto the ordinary form of subscribers instrument, it is to be noted thatit may be modi'lied for use in connection with a bridging instrumentwith-v out departing from the invention by merely omitting spring 7i androller g and retaining the relative arrangement of the other springs and.their coperating pins. It will also be noted that it is not essentialthat the specific arrangement of the springs on the frame c be followed,as the invention contemplates the disposition of the springs relativelyto hook in any manner, provided the free ends of the springs lie ingeneral proximity to the pivot, and the pins on the rocker are sodisposed relatively to the springs as to eiliect the object sought.

What I claim is- 1. In a telephone switching apparatus, the combinationof a pivoted' switch-hook, insulating circuit-changing springs each andall having a free end lying adjacent the pivot, and insulated pinsprojecting from the hook on opposite sides of the pivot and alternatelycooperating with said springs.

2. In a telephone switching apparatus, the combination of a pivotedswitch-hook, insulating circuit changing springsA having their free endsadjacent the pivot, and pins disposed longitudinally of the hook and onopposite sides of the pivot to coperate alternately with said springs.

3. In a telephone switching apparatus, the combination of a pivotedswitch-hook, insulating circuit-changing springs having their free endsadjacent the pivot, and pins projecting from the hook and arranged insubstantially triangular relation about the :hook-pivot to coperate withsaid springs to establish signaling and talking connectionsrespectively.

4. In a telephone switching apparatus, the combination of a pivotedswitch-hook, insulating circuit-changing springs including one memberlonger than the others and having their free ends adjacent the pivot,pins on the hook disposed on opposite sides ot the pivot adapted toengage the short and long springs alternately in the respectivepositions of the hook.

5. In a telephone switching apparatus, the combination of a pivotedswitch-hook, insulating circuit-changing springs including anintermediate member longer than the others, said springs having theirfree ends adjacent the pivot, and pins on the hook disposed intriangular relation about thel spring, the latter having a normal trendtoward the short sprin s, all or' said springs having their free encsadjacent the hookpivot, and pins on the hook on opposite sides oi thepivot adapted to engage the outer short spring and the long springalternately in the respective positions orA the hook.

7. In a telephone switching apparatus, the combination oi a pivotedswitch-hook, insulated circuit-changing springs including two shortsprings, a single short spring, and a relatively long intermediatespring, the free ends of all oi said springs lying adjacent the pivot,and pins on the hook disposed in triangular relation about the pivot tocoperate with the outer short springs and the intermediate spring toestablish signaling and talking connections respectively.

8. In a telephone switching apparatus, the combination oi" a frame, aswitch-hook pivoted thereto, insulated circuit-changing springs mountedon said frame and each and all having'a free end extending toward thepivot, and insulated pins projecting from the hook and lying on oppositesides of thepivot and alternately cooperating with said springs.

9. In a telephone switching apparatus, the combination of a frame, aswitch-hook pivoted thereto, insulated circuit-changing springs mountedon said frame and having their free ends extending toward the pivot,said springs including two short springs and a relatively long s ring,and pins projecting from said hook anc lying on opposite sides of thepivot to alternately force said short springs into positive contact witheach other and with the long spring' and relieve said contact in therespective positions of the hook.

10. In a telephone switching apparatus, the combination of a frame, aswitch-hook pivoted thereto, insulated circuit-changing springs mountedon said frame and having their lfree ends extending toward the pivot,said springs including two short springs, a single short spring and anintermediate long spring, and three pins on said hook arranged intriangular form about the pivot and cooperating with the appropriatesprings to cause them to positively engage for signaling and talkingconnections in the alternate positions of the hook.

l In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

CHARLES T. MASON.

Witnesses:

H. R. VANTWENTER, E. M. HALL.

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